Hibiscus plant named ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading, uniformly mounded and dense plant habit appropriate for container production; glossy green-colored leaves; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; large ruffled orange-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good postproduction and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IMPROVED MANDARIN WIND’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Hibiscus plant, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’.

The new Hibiscus plant is a product of a planned selection program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the selection program is to identify new freely-branching Hibiscus plants with a dense, uniform and compact plant habit appropriate for container production, early and uniform flowering habit, numerous flowers per lateral branch, desirable flower color and good garden performance.

The new Hibiscus plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Mandarin Wind’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/156,553. The new Hibiscus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Mandarin Wind’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. in March, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. since May, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’ as a new and distinct Hibiscus plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading, uniformly mounded and         dense plant habit appropriate for container production.     -   2. Glossy green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform, freely and early flowering habit.     -   4. Large ruffled orange-colored flowers with red purple-colored         centers.     -   5. Good postproduction and garden performance.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Mandarin Wind’. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of ‘Mandarin Wind’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Mandarin Wind’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus flower one to two weeks earlier         than plants of ‘Mandarin Wind’.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Caroline’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,779. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of ‘Caroline’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more vigorous than and not as         compact as plants of ‘Caroline’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Caroline’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Caroline’.     -   4. Flower petals of plants of the new Hibiscus were ruffled         whereas flower petals of plants of ‘Caroline’ were not ruffled.     -   5. Plants of the new Hibiscus and ‘Caroline’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Caroline’ had orange-colored flowers with         orange-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse in Alva, Fla. and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Hibiscus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 38° C., night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 24° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 4,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched two times and were 27 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Improved Mandarin     Wind’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Hibiscus     rosa-sinensis ‘Mandarin Wind’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent     application Ser. No. 10/156,553. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at temperatures of 24°             C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at temperatures of             24° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen, upright,             somewhat outwardly spreading, compact, uniformly mounded and             dense; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches potentially develop at every node; pinching             enhances lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 39 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 14.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Immature, smooth; mature, woody and rough.         -   Color, immature.—Close to 144A.         -   Color, mature.—Close to 197B to 197C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single; numerous; symmetrical.         -   Length.—About 8.75 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.25 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Crenate with truncate tendencies.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper surface.—Glossy.         -   Luster, lower surface.—Somewhat glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137B; venation, close to 144A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: Proximally, about             4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Rotate star-shaped             flowers arranged at terminal leaf axils; uniform and freely             flowering habit with about two or three flowers per             terminal; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Hibiscus flower             naturally during the spring and summer or during periods of             warm weather; plants flower year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two to three days on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 8.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Resistance to abscission during shipping:             Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to resist             flower bud drop when stored in a closed box for five days at             13° C. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Shape:             Ovoid. Color: Darker green than 144A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals that             are fused at base; petals imbricate. Length: About 7.5 cm.             Width: About 7 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate, ruffled             appearance. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; veins             prominent on the lower surface. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to between 31A and 32A;             towards the base, close to 49A; at the base, close to 53A.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 25D             tinged with close to between 31A and 32A; towards the base,             close to 49A to 49D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a tubular             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Texture,             lower surface: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Bracts.—Appearance: About seven or eight fused at base.             Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Darker green than 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.25 mm.             Aspect: Upright to slightly outward. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Numerous,             about 50 per flower. Filament length: About 6.5 mm. Filament             color: Close to 49A. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 9A. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13A. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: One per flower. Pistil length: About 8.4 cm. Style             length: About 7.6 cm. Style texture: Smooth, glabrous; waxy.             Style color: Close to 39A to 39B. Stigma appearance:             Five-parted, rounded. Stigma color: Close to 46A. Ovary             color: Close to 11D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Hibiscus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 38° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus grown under     Florida production conditions have not been shown to be susceptible     to pathogens common to Hibiscus such as Pseudomonas, Pythium and     Phytophthora. Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed to     be resistant to pests and other pathogens. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Improved Mandarin Wind’ as illustrated and described. 